Roll ironer



2 Sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR )44a/"2767" dzz/e.

Dec. 3, 1940.

Patented Dec. 3, 1940 ROLL IRONER Werner G. BauleDetroit, Mich., assignor to Borg- Warner Corporation, a corporation of Illinois Application September 25, 1937, Serial No.'165,6l2

15 Claims.

This invention relates to ironing apparatus and particularly to that class of ironing apparatus which is adapted for domestic use, and which embodies a shoe and a roll movable into and out ofgengagement with the shoe, the roll being adapted to be rotated to carry the material being ironed past the polished surface of the shoe.

In ironing machines of the class described in which the roll is movable toward and away from It is a further object of the invention to provide an ironing mechanism in which the pressure betweenth'e roll and the shoe remains substantially constant but is adjustable to accommodate different thicknesses of material or to vary the pressure applied to materials being ironed.

Further objects will appear more fully hereinafter as the description proceeds and will lbe pointed out in' connection with the appended claims.

In order to effectuate the foregoing objects, the invention 'is shown embodied in an ironing apf paratus in which the pressure applying parts comprise -a roll, oscillatable about a xed axis into contact 'with a pivotally supported shoe. 'I'he roll Vis adapted to be rotated about its own axis while in contact with theA shoe for moving the material being pressed between the two pressing elements; The invention resides more specifically in themechanism employed to resist movement of the shoe away from its normal inoperative position. -This mechanism is shown as comprising a toggle arrangement which employs a spring means to resist breaking of the toggle.

In the drawings,V in which similar parts are designated by similar reference characters:

Fig. 1 is an end elevational view of a portion vof `the ironing apparatus showing the roll and shoe Iin their inoperative positions;

Fig. 2 isan end elevational View similar to Fig. 1, but showing the roll oscillated into engagement with the shoe and the shoe displaced against the action of thetoggle mechanism and the spring; Y

Fig. l3 is a vertical sectional view through the shoe supporting and movement resisting mechanisrn showing the details of the toggle arrangement;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through a portion of the toggle mechanism taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the line 4-4'of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional View similar to Fig. 3, but showing the parts displaced by movement of the roll into contact with the shoe; and,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the toggle mechanism taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The ironing apparatus is shown as comprising a support I0 mounted upon legs I2 and having an upstanding portion I4 for housing the transmission Which is adapted to impart motion to a roll I6 supported by such transmission housing. I4 for oscillation into engagementwith a'shoe I8.

The shoe I8 is pivoted at 20 to a lever 22 supported pivotally at 24 .from the frame of the table or cloth pan I0. The pivotal connection 2i! between shoe I8 and lever 22 is of such a nature as to permit limited universal movement of the shoe with respect to the lever 22 in order to compensate for variations in thickness ofthe material presented betweenroll I8 and shoe I8. The shoe I8 is supported in position to engage the roll I6 by means of a spring 26 extending'between the shoe I8 and the lever 22.

Pivot 24 extends through a pair of channel members 28 and is confined lagainst endwise movement by cotter pins 30 to prevent endwise movement of the pivot shaft 24 (see Fig. 6).

The lower end of lever 22 projects below pivot 24 and has pivotally secured thereto at 32 a link 34 which constitutes one portion of a toggle mechanism. 'Ihe pivot pin 32 is secured-against endwise displacement by means of cotter pins 36 located exteriorly of the side portions of the channel member forming lever arm 22. The opposite 45 end of the link 34 is pivotally connected at38 to a pair of links 40 which are pivotally secured to arshaft 42 extendingthrough an adjustable collar 44. The adjustable collar 44 hasr a bolt-46 threadedly engaged therewith and said bolt-46 50 extends through a web 48 secured to the frame of the table I0. Nuts 5I) on opposite sides of the web 48 provide for adjustment ofthe pivot pin 42 through a limited distance, the channel members supporting the xed portions of the toggle 55 mechanism beingl provided with elliptical slots as at 52 to permit such movement.

The primary link 34 of the toggle has its forward end bent upwardly as at 54 and apertured at 56 to receive screws 58, the heads of which are seated within frusto-conical end portions of coil springs 6i). The opposite ends of springs 6i! are hooked through a hanger 62 disposed around the fixed pivot pin 24.

A pair of lugs 64 projecting laterally from op`- posite sides of the link 34 provide a seat for stop screws 66 threaded into extensions 68 upon the toggle links 40. Stop screws 66 are secured in adjusted position by means of lock nuts 10.

It will be appreciated that as the roll. I6 moves, into engagement with the shoe I8 these parts will move from a position Iindicated in Fig. 1 tothe position shown in Fig. 2, thus displacing the shoe supporting lever 22 clockwise as viewed in. Figs. 1

and 2. This movement of the lever' 22 will result in displacement of its lower end toward the left as viewed in Figs. 3 and 5lever 22 rotating about the fixed axis 24. `Movement of the pivot 32 to the left results in breaking the toggle 34,v 40 against the action of the springs B0. The toggle, however, is never quite straightened because of stopI screws 66 and stop lug 64. At the beginning of the toggle straightening action, the springs 60 act therethrough to exert maximum resistance;

to movement of the arm 22. As the breaking action of the toggle progressesthe mechanical` advantage of the toggle is increasingly diminished by reason of the angularity of the toggle;y During this same breaking movement the springs B are being increasingly deformed and consequently applying a greater force to the upturned portion 54 of the link 34 and accordingly to the toggle mechanlism. In the structure as shown this diminution and increase of forces as indicated above are such as to balance one another and.v

result in an applicationof constant force to the lever 22 to resist themovement of'shoe I8 to the right as viewedin Fig. 2.

The force with which movement of the shoe'is resisted may be adjusted by tightening or loosening nuts 'III thereby increasing or decreasing the initial tension of the springs Iii).l The initial posi-` tion of the shoe I8 may be adjusted by adjust,

ing the pivot 42 through-the nuts 5I)` threaded `upon the bolt 46 in order to compensate for thicker or thinner material than will normally be ironed in the machine. After adjustment of the spring tension and the initial position of the shoe' I8, the stop screws 66 may be set in engagement with the stop` 64 so that the toggle, when at rest, is just slightly broken.

It will be observedthat the invention carries into eii'ect the objects set forth hereinbefore. The force resisting movement of the shoe upon engagement therewith by the roll will be substantially constant in all positions of the shoe I8 and will not be increased materially by deflection ofthe shoe I8 out of its usual sphere of operation.

Although the invention has been described 'with respect to an ironer of the movable roll type, it

will be readily understood that only slight changes would be necessary to adapt it kto be used in connection with a movable shoel type of ironer.

While the invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be expressly understood that the description given is for the purpose of illustration only and is not definitive of the limitations of the inventive idea. 'I'he right is reserved to make such changes in the details of shoe, said shoe being supported upon a member pivotally mounted upon a stationary portion of the lironing mechanism, said roll being mounted for movement into and out of engagement with theshoe, ya toggle extending between said member and the stationary portion of the ironing mechanism, and spring `means so connected tothe toggle mechanism and to the stationary portion of the ironing mechanism so as to apply a constant force. to the shoe invresistance, to movement of theshoe when engaged rby theroll. v

:3. In a roll ironer, a shoe element engageable with a roll element, said vrelements vbeing relatively movable intoand out of engagement with' one another, a lever vpivotally mounted upon the ironer frame and supporting said shoe, a toggle disposed betweenthe ironer frame and the shoe supporting lever and a spring acting uponv the knee of the'toggle to resist breaking of the togglev when-moved bythe lever.

1 4;. A roll ironer'comprising a rollr movable intok and out of engagementvwith ashoe, said-ishoe being connected to and supportedv by one endof a lever pivotedintermediate its ends upon'a por-- tion of the ironer frame, linkage connecting the other.'v vend ofY said lever to the frame, and spring means extending, between an, intermediate portion vof said linkage 'and the frame, said linkage and spring Aconnections ybeingso disposed as -to apply a substantially constant forceresisting cn v movement of said lever under the influence of said. roll movement in anyposition which said leverl may assume. v, f f 5-. In a roll ironer, a roll movable into and out of engagement with a shoe, said shoe being supported upon the upper end of a lever pivoted to the ironer Vframe and projecting below the ironer frame, a-toggle,one link of which is secured to the lowerend of said lever andthe other link of which isf secured to said; frame, andmeans acting through one of said links upon the knee of e the toggleto resistbreaking movement thereof.

Y 6;, A roll ironer comprising a roll, a shoe, said roll :being movable finto and out of engagement with'A saidshoe, a lever pivoted intermediate itsv endsk upon a stationary portion of the iro-ner frame; one end of said lever supporting saidshoe adjacent-said roll and the other end of said lever being pivotally attached to Iay toggle mechanism,

said toggle mechanism comprising a pair of links pivotally connected to form the knee of the toggle and Vextending between said leverl and a stationary portion of the frame, oneof said links havingan oiset portion upon the knee of the toggle to'pro-v vide a seatA for a spring which exerts pressure upon the knee oflthe Itoggle, the other end lof the spring being secured 'to a, stationary portion of the ironer frame. y y f i '7. Ironing apparatus comprising la roll, `va shoe,

said roll being mounted for movement into and` out of engagement with said shoe, a vertical lever pivoted to a stationary portion of the ironer frame and having its upper end supporting said shoe, and a toggle extending between the lower end of said lever and a stationary portion of the frame, said toggle being urged toward its straightened position by means of a spring extending between the knee thereof and the pivot point for said vertical lever.

8. In an apparatus for resisting movement with a substantially constant force, a first class lever pivoted upon a frame and a toggle mechanism secured between one end of said lever and said frame and a spring extending between the end of the one of the links of said toggle mechanism connected to said one end of said lever and vthe lever pivot for resisting breaking movement of the toggle upon deflection of the other end of said lever.

9. Ironing apparatus comprising a roll, a shoe, said roll being movable into and out of engagement with said shoe, a vertically positioned lever for supporting said shoe at its upper end, a link pivoted to the lower end of said lever, the opposite end of said link being pivoted to a secondari7 link adjustably secured ot the frame, and a spring extending between the Connecting pivot for said links and the frame.

10. In an ironing apparatus means for resisting movement of a shoe away from a roll and in which said roll is movable into and out of engagement with said shoe comprising a shoe-supporting lever pivoted to a stationary portion of the ironer frame intermediate its ends, a toggle linkage secured at one end to a stationary portion of the frame and at the other end to said lever, one of said links having an offset portion which provides a seat for one end of a spring, said spring being anchored at its other end about the frame pivot for said lever.

11. Apparatus for resisting motion with a substantially constant force comprising a first class lever pivoted to a frame, toggle linkage extending between said frame and onev end of said lever, a spring acting between the knee of said toggle and the pivot point of said lever for resisting breaking movement of the toggle, and means for adjusting the frame connection of said toggle to vary the initial position of the movement resisting lever.

12. Apparatus for resisting motion with a substantially constant force comprising a rst class lever pivoted to a frame, a set of toggle links extending between said frame and `one end of said lever, one of said toggle links being extended past the knee of the toggle vto provide a seat, a spring acting between said seat and the pivot point of said lever for resisting breaking movement of the toggle, and means for adjusting the frame conneotion of said toggle to vary the initial position of the movement resisting lever, the initial tension of said spring being adjustable. y

13. Ironing apparatus comprising a base, a table on the base, a roll, a shoe, said roll being movable into and out of engagement with said shoe, said shoe being supported for movement above the table by means of a lever pivoted intermediate its ends upon a stationary portion of the apparatus and projecting through said table, and means intermediate one end of the lever and the frame of the apparatus for resisting movement of the lever about its pivot point with a substantially constant force in all positions of displacement of the lever.

14. In an ironing apparatus, a shoe, a roll, said roll being movable into and out of engagement with said shoe, a table, a lever projecting through the table and supporting said shoe upon its upper end, said lever being pivoted to the frame of the apparatus adjacent its point of projection through the table, and means extending between said lever and the frame of the apparatus for resisting movement of said lever about its pivot point in all positions of displacement thereof.

15. Ironing apparatus comprising a pair of ironing elements, one of said ironing elements being movable into and out of engagement with the other of said ironing elements, said other ironing element being supported for yielding movement when engaged by the rst ironing element, and means forming a portion of the support for said other element resisting said movement of said other element with a substantially constant force in all positions of displacement thereof under the iniiuence of said first ironing element.

WERNERG. BAULE. 

